Worries and wonderings - The first few weeks of school
Categories: Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Education
The first week of school is behind us now-and we're in the midst of the second, getting used to routines, expectations and each other. The classroom is bustling with activity from the minute the children arrive, to when they leave, tired and hot at the end of the day.
Aside from building a strong classroom community during the first couple of weeks of school, teachers spend the bulk of their time trying to get to know their students-both personally and academically. We have so many questions: did our students regress over the summer or grow? Did they read? Do math? Play games? Travel?
We spend our days conferring with individual students and soliciting information through writing prompts, drawing activities, and assessments.
As parents, you are likely doing the same thing, right? Every parent comes with a pocketful of worries, questions and concerns.
I know this is true because my son just started preschool this past week, anda great deal of my time is consumed with wondering about small things-will they open his lunch containers for him? Will they heat up his food? Will they help him make friends?
But really, when I think about it, all these little concerns amount to one great big huge one: will my son's teachers see him as he really is? Will they get to know him, and help him to grow and learn without quashing his sweet earnestness?
Parents of elementary students are bound to have the same great big worry-and so much rests on the delicate choreography of students and teachers getting to know each other during these first few weeks.
While teachers do their absolute best to get to know every child, there is a lot that you can do to support both your child and her teacher during this transitional relationship building time.
If you have specific concerns about your child-send his teacher an email or note explaining them. Share any relevant recent events that have taken place in your child's life-the birth of a sibling, the transition to a new house, the death of a grandparent or family pet, any illness, or other trauma all affects how children learn.
I am often surprised to discover the answers to these kinds of questions only after I inquire. I'll notice a child is particularly moody, or seems stressed out beyond the normal first weeks of school stress, and when I ask I'll discover that he's had a very ill sibling, or that the family is going through a divorce and the picture will suddenly become oh-so-clear, and it will be much easier for me to approach the child and support his learning.
Similarly, share positive feedback and information with your child's teacher-if you went on a trip or your child accomplished a major milestone (riding a two-wheel bike for the first time, loosing teeth, riding a roller coaster solo, etc.) Just send a quick email or note. Your child's teacher will love hearing about these events, and will likely incorporate this knew knowledge of your child into the way she works with him. I know I do. I relish hearing about where and what my students have been up to all summer.
By the second week of school I already know which child got stitches, lost a tooth, traveled to a foreign country, and rode the rollercoaster at the fair. I also know which child is having a hard time going to sleep at night, and which one is expecting a new baby brother soon. I wouldn't know half of these things if I didn't ask, though, and I'm sure there are heaps of things I have yet to learn. I'm just waiting for parents (and the kids) to tell me.
Do you have a specific beginning of the year worry or wondering about your child going to school? How have you attempted to deal with these questions concerns?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sabrina 9-04-2008 @ 8:35AM
I worry because my daughter is starting full day preschool at the elementary school and riding the bus, with multiple food allergies. Basically it's the same as elementary school, the same type of teachers, same building, same schedule, and same bus, same cafeteria but she's 3 and has food allergies. I've met once with the school director, and yesterday met with both teachers to develop a plan that I hope they will impliment. I've given them all kinds of written information and done a lion's share of research. I still have more to do before tomorrow when orientation starts. Monday will be her first day. I worry that the teachers will forget, I worry that they won't see her for who she is because this is such a big safety issue. I worry that she won't fit in with the rest of the students. I worry about whether it will be similar to her school last year where the teachers were in constant contact with me, and where they were able to bring her out of her shell, but not until 7 months into the school year because she's shy and we always have a lot of stress going on with her brother being ill. Some things I've tried my best to prepare the teachers, myself, and my daughter for. The rest we'll have to wait and see how it works out. It's nervewracking though. And I know every year will be this way until she's well known in the school. And it will start over again when her brother enters the preschool-at-school program in a year or 2.
Reply
Joy 9-04-2008 @ 2:30PM
Sabrina, I’m not sure of you school situation or the amount of time you have or how big the school is so I’m just going to throw this out there. It may help, if not, I tried.
I worked in the lunchroom for 15 years and I will tell you it’s very hard to watch one child. Everyone will have the best intentions but all it’s going to take is for one child in that lunchroom to cause a problem and the attention will be taken away from your daughter. The lunch staff can’t just watch one child. Teacher’s do not eat with their students. They take them, drop them off and go to eat their own lunch. You can write all the letters to whoever you want to but they’ll get read and put in your daughters file and that’s where they will sit.
It would be my recommendation to talk to the other mothers in your daughter class room and see if they would be willing to go “have lunch” for a few weeks. Trade off. The best way for your daughter to be seen and known, is to have “volunteer” adults at their table. If you go in and are “sweet as pie” to the lunch staff,“ they will know who your daughter is. Heck, I’d buy them all doughnuts. Everyone comes down hard on lunch ladies and the cooks but the ones who are kind to them for doing a thankless job are the ones we always remember and will bend over backwards for. The nicer you are to them, the better. They will like you and will pay more attention to your daughter. I would tell you to go for a few weeks but your daughter might be embarrassed about that.
Whatever it takes, you can’t depend on the lunch crew alone. To many things come up and 3 is a very hard age to leave on her own and expect for her to know what she can and can’t eat. I hope your planning on packing her lunch for her and drilling into her head NOT to “trade” food or eat anyone else’s.” 3 is so young to know these things but in the end, if you can’t volunteer, it’s going to be up to her.